Afterword

Ten percent. The significance of this value cannot be understated.

Did you think I was talking about the consumption tax? I wasn’t.

This is the percentage of people who read the afterword before they buy a book. In other words, for every ten people who step into a bookstore and think about buying a book, one of them will base their decision on the contents of the afterword.

What a close call.

Who’d have known afterwords were that important?

It was my friend who told me about this. Thanks to him, I am currently devoting a very serious effort toward writing this afterword. Had he not told me, the afterword in this book probably wouldn’t have been more than five lines.

Just kidding—I’d always intended to write it seriously. The friend I mentioned I actually made up just now.

Now, with that out of the way, allow me to introduce myself. I am Yusaku Sakaishi.

This work had the honor of being awarded the Gold Prize in the 12th HJ Bunko Contest. This idea came about when I crossed my very crude analysis of “there sure are a lot of stories these days where the protagonist starts off super strong” with my personal taste of “I prefer to have my protagonists remain humble and always try their best,” resulting in a story about “a protagonist who is super strong but doesn’t become intoxicated with power and still works hard.” I’d be spoiling the story if I said any more, so if you’re one of the ten percent, this would be a great time to flip the book over and read from the beginning.

After it was decided that this work would receive a prize, I worked with my assigned editor to brush it up and improve its quality. During every meeting, I was reminded of just how much fun it is to be a novelist. I’m truly glad that during my university years I aspired to become a novelist and spent my time quietly writing novels.

I’m not sure if it’s because I’m having too much fun working, but recently, I’ve started hearing things.

This happened on a day when I woke up and had some ramen (with extra everything) at a certain place known for its large portions. As I chewed on the thick, gummy noodles, I thought to myself, “Once I eat this, I’m going to go home and work.” However, once I returned home, my stomach suddenly revolted. With the deadline looming, I had no choice but to work while doing battle with my painful stomach. As I worked, my consciousness faded in and out, and before I knew it, I was talking with someone.

“How’s the stomach pain?”

“It’s real bad. Please help. We’re prize buddies, aren’t we? Don’t leave me hanging...”

“Yeah, but you’re almost done, right? It’s just a little more, so let’s keep going until you reach the end. As a reward of sorts, how about we go for a drink sometime later? We’ll get the gang together again.”

“Hey, that sounds good. I’m feeling like I can do this now.”

Then, I suddenly came to. Who was I talking to?

Like I mentioned in my author profile, this work was the only winning submission in the 12th HJ Bunko Contest. I was the only one to receive a prize. In other words, I had no prize buddies. So, apparently, I decided to invent one.

I figure it had something to do with me reading Twitter while I worked. I don’t remember very clearly, but someone might have tweeted something about prize buddies. When I told my friend about this, he had a good laugh at my expense.

This friend, at least, isn’t imaginary.

Or so I believe.

Special Thanks

During the writing of this work, I received a great deal of assistance from the editorial department, proofreaders, and many others. My editor also provided me with much advice regarding not just the story itself, but also the work of a writer in general. I am deeply grateful to each and every person who contributed their talents. Thank you very much to Heiro for bringing Sain and his friends to life with such vivid artwork. Finally, to everyone who took this book in your hands, you have my endless gratitude.